The present invention relates in general to automated machining apparata and particularly to a tool apparatus for altering the geometric configuration of bar stock feeding equipment for the purpose of removing replacing and/or interchanging bar stock feed pads located therewithin.
For a substantial number of years turret lathes, milling machines and the like have relied upon bar stock feeding equipment for the purpose of loading bar stock (usually of a metallic nature) into the machine for further machining operations. Such bar stock feeding equipment typically comprises, in the case of substantially cylindrically shaped bar stock, a bar stock feeding conduit member with feed pads located at its end portion which, by friction, grip the bar stock itself for subsequent feeding into the machining equipment. Due to wear on the bar stock feed pads within the bar stock feeding conduit member, these pads often have to be replaced. The only way in which such pads can be replaced, due to the conventional construction of such typical bar stock feeding equipment, is through the physical enlargement of the "feeding end" of the conduit member so as to provide enough space at the end of the conduit member for removal and/or replacement of the bar stock feed pads.
The alteration of the geometric shape of the bar stock feeding conduit member has typically been accomplished through the utilization of "Bayless" wrenches--individual wrenches which require an often difficult, contorted dual handled operation by a user attempting to enlarge the conduit member opening to release the feed pads. Indeed, over the years such wrenches have come to be known in the machine shop industry, affectionaly, as "knuckle busters".
Moreover, the utilization of such individual wrenches has often failed to provide the capability to the individual enlarging the conduit member, to remove the pads while maintaining the conduit member, for an extended period of time, in an "open" position. The two hands clutching the wrenches could not often be released to manually extricate the feed pads sought to be removed from the conduit member. Such prior art required, besides cumbersome, often dangerous manipulation of the tools, reliance upon the assistance of an additional individual to provide means for removing the feed pads once the conduit was opened and physically maintained "open" by the first individual, simultaneously.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an integrated tool which facilitates the operation of enlarging and opening the bar stock feeding conduit member so as to permit same to be done by one individual while enabling the same individual to remove the feed pads through "open position" maintenance features.
It is additionally an object of the present invention to provide such a bar stock feeding alteration tool which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.
A further object of the invention is the provision of an integrated tool which simultaneously opens both sides of the conduit member in close time ratio to one another so as to prevent jamming of feed pads, which could occur if one side of the conduit member is opened at a different rate than the other side. At the same time such a tool apparatus can automatically adjust to the circumferential dimensions of a myriad of conduit members as well as be adaptable to permit cooperation with bar stock feeding mechanisms of different size and configuration.
These and other objects of the inventions will become apparent in light of the present specification and drawings.